Concrete & Masonry Costs

Most homeowners spend between $825 and $13,126 nationally. Get free estimates from local concrete & masonry contractors.

Inside and outside any home, there are numerous applications of concrete work and masonry. Driveways, garage floors, front porches, rear patios and even the foundation of your home is dependent on concrete and the masons that apply it. Your individual needs as well as the complexity and size of the job greatly impact the costs of masonry work as well as the repair, treatment and replacement of concrete.

On the exterior of your home, the most common applications are driveways, patios and steps. Although concrete is strong by nature, it does lend itself to wear and tear from the elements over time. A small crack can very quickly turn into a much larger one, especially on sloped driveways. It is important that the contractor or mason who does the concrete work is meticulous in maintaining a level ground in addition to a steady grade. Pouring a concrete driveway on ground that is not level throughout the slope will result in cracking after a short period. This is important when assessing your own concrete maintenance needs. If your concrete patio or driveway is not level and has cracks, a much larger repair must be done at a higher cost to you. If the crack is from normal wear, it can usually be replaced rather easily.

Another popular option in masonry often used for patios is the use of pavers. These pre-formed shapes of concrete can be laid on level ground in patterns similar to the way tile is pieced together. Many decorative options are available when using pavers, making them more expensive than a poured concrete slab. In addition, using pavers is also more labor intensive, adding to the overall cost. Using concrete stamps, similar to pavers but generally more decorative, will increase the price of labor and materials but offers a very visually appealing option for homeowners.

Inside the home, concrete floors are very common in both garages and basements. Poured as large slabs, these high-traffic areas can become damaged by cracking, pitting or flaking very easily. It is often most cost-effective in the long run to have the floor treated with either an epoxy or polyurethane-based coating. Many professionals offer this service to repair, resurface and refinish damaged or stained concrete floors. If your concrete floor is broken beyond these easy means of repair, the costs will naturally increase. A mason must be called to fix the floor at the expense of more time and material that can usually be avoided by good preventative care.

Concrete is also used in the most structurally important place of any house: the foundation. The floor is usually poured by masons, and the exterior walls of the home are often made up of bricks laid in concrete. Although a foundation is made to last the entire length of the house's existence, it is important to periodically check for cracks on your own or with the help of a trained inspector. Again, the severity of the crack will greatly affect the price of repair. If it is severe, a larger area of concrete must be removed to properly fix the crack. A cracked foundation requires an experienced mason to repair and will be more expensive the longer the work is delayed.

Whether decorative or strictly functional, there are many places in an average home that feature concrete. Because the cost of repair in every case depends on the severity of the damage, it is important to frequently check driveways, garage and basement floors as well as patios and pathways for any sign of cracking. The faster the issue is addressed, the less money you will have to spend. A little caution goes a long way towards helping you save money.